U.S. Participates in Trilateral Meeting on Next Steps in Syria

Washington, DC - The United States participated in a trilateral meeting today in Geneva with Russian officials, convened by the UN Special Envoy Staffan De Mistura. The UN Special Envoy updated the two chairs of the International Syria Support Group (ISSG), the United States and Russia, on the status of his consultations with the parties and shared his perspectives on the next round of talks.

The United States and Russia urged the UN to prepare a proposal for political transition based on relevant UN Security Council resolutions and input given by the Syrian parties in previous rounds of intra-Syrian talks and in subsequent technical consultations. This proposal should serve as the starting point for future negotiations.

In addition, the United States emphasized the need to restore compliance with the terms of the cessation of hostilities – particularly in Aleppo city – as well as the need to improve humanitarian access, as positive progress in these areas would significantly improve the prospects for successful talks.